My Appetite is Back

Well, that didn’t take long. 

It’s awfully hard not to get hungry when a parade of friends brings you lasagna and casseroles and enchiladas and Café Fresh bagels with lox and Taza chocolate and my first CSA pickup of the season from Waltham Fields and a quart of fresh-picked strawberries from Drumlin Farm and cookies and cupcakes and fruit smoothies and banana bread and, oh my god, I’m not allowed to joke about having no friends ever again.  Also, going forward, it will be harder to disrespect Husband, the best nursemaid the world has ever seen, but I’m sure I’ll figure out a way.

The surgery was a “success,” as they say.  My reaction to the battle scars was an odd mix of horror and relief.  Apparently, my healthy lifestyle enabled the tumor to achieve quite a robust size.  You’re welcome, you fucker.  Since fleeing the hospital, I’ve been spending my days ambling about in Percocet-induced partial numbness, which has been exacerbated by the eerie quiet of the children being well-taken-care-of far away on the Cape.  It’s a very strange space I’ve been occupying these days where I can sleep ‘til noon and read vampire books on the porch for hours, admiring my pretty feet because my best friend came to the hospital and painted my toenails to give an ounce of credence to the idea of Spa Day.  My only immediate concern has been whether or not my intestines ever plan on waking up from the anesthesia.  Is this guilt I’m feeling?  Or just constipation?

Anyway, the kids are back and the quiet is over but the parade of food continues.  I may do a few posts on the stuff people are bringing me.  I wonder how long I can milk this?

Comments

[Judy]

So glad to read your post - and to see your sharp humor and writing have not been numbed by the Percocet.

[Penny]

Welcome Back!

We'd love to hear about your food parade and especially what appealed to you. We all have times when we want to deliver the perfect dish to a friend in need.

What did you crave in your "Percocet-induced partial numbness."

I always will remember the quiet old German woman who shared a hospital room one time with my very needy, demanding Mother.

The elder had few visitors and often pushed away her meals. I asked her whether I could bring her anything. After a few days of asking the question she finally she said, "a hard roll with butter."

I brought it to her and she gnawed and chewed and smiled and ate.

We all have our deep down healing food. What is yours?

[melch]

I'm so glad to hear the surgery went well. I'd love to hear more about the parade of food, it sounds so good! In fact, I think I need to rustle around the pantry now...

[giovanna]

Welcome back Tammy!

I smiled when I saw your blog! I had been wondering how everything went. I"m glad surgery was successful.

Yes, my husband too was the best nurse ever. He came to all my appointments, therapy, and anything else in between. It kind of renewed why I love him so much.

Anyway, I'm glad you're up and around and writing!! Take care, don't push yourself and let your friends take care of you. You deserve it.

[Janet]

I am a fairly new reader, who is happy to read this post. So glad you are done that part.

Janet

[Sarah]

Welcome back! You've been missed. So glad step one is over ... all the very best for the weeks to come. Sarah

[Amy]

Thrilled to get the update. Even in recovery mode, your wit is still sharp. Maybe I need to get myself some percoset.

Nothing like painted toes and food to help one feel a little better! Would love to hear more.

[jasmine]

No guilt aloud!! Your friends and family are just doing what they want to do -- it makes them feel good and it is OK to accept help. It is part of being human. So just stop with the guilt already and hope those bowels start moving!! Glad the surgery is over!

[WhatACard]

So glad to see you back, and to hear your surgery went well. I've been thinking of you, and hope all continues to go well.

[Jess]

Here's what I really want to know: Was there any squash in the box from Drumlin?

[Jess]

Err, I mean Waltham.

[houllie]

You are back! I am glad to hear that everything went well, glad to hear you joking again. Actually, I truly admire your sense of humour. I wish you a smooth recovery. Too sad that I can't stop by to pile up more food in your house. But with the kids back, you surely have the help you need to cope with it!

[Janet]

Welcome back, and thanks for the update.
- longtime reader Janet (now there are two of us, yikes)

[Alana]

Wahoo! I'm cheering... (and ground flax seeds can work miracles in a smoothie)

[Maureen]

Let me suggest some fresh pineapple. It's not local, of course, but it is the Jamaican cure for the unpleasant side effect of your meds.

[Jeena]

Oh man, oh man. I totally leaped up when I saw the post from you.

SO GLAD IT WENT SO WELL!

And so glad that the people in your life have risen to the occasion--nothing nicer than that, eh? (Well, maybe not having to have surgery in the first effin' place.)

Wishing you very well going forward!

[Allison L.]

I'm happy that spa day went well! I'm also glad you've got lots of people keeping you well-fed. You're in my thoughts!

[E in NYC]

Tammy, count me among the parade of well wishers who are so glad to see that you are back and feel well enough to start blogging again. It is good to have you back. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[Erin]

I've been getting updates from Ed (okay, so it might be borderline harassment), but just wanted to personally say "Hooray!". So glad to hear that the spa day was a success and great to see you back at the blog.

Wishing you all the best...and a continued flow of Taza chocolates (particularly the chocolate cinnamon disks).

[susan]

new reader here, very happy to hear that you are home and doing well. As a nurse, and a kidney stone sufferer who has taken her fair share of percocet and other such pain killers, I can tell you that its not just the anesthesia that's causing the bowel problems. Percocet will turn you to instant cement, and it's no joking matter. Prunes will not work, you can eat all the fiber you want. Get hubby to the pharmacy to pick up sennakot (or generic, you want the combo of doucosate sodium and senna). Wont cause and explosion, you may even need to take several. We had an expression in oncology nursing..."the hand that writes the prescription for narcotics without writng a prescription for a laxative is the hand that disimpacts the patient". Well... now that a complete stranger has given you bowel advice......feel better!

[Karen]

Yay, I skimmed quickly and saw the word "success" so I could exhale and then read the whole post more carefully. So very happy for you that it is over and went well.

[cookiecrumb]

Well, hey. Junkies get constipated; it's the ONLY downside of the druggie life.
:D
Good luck "going."

[Laurel]

I'm so glad to hear the "spa day" was a success, and that you are amply supplied with tantalizing treats to make you feel like eating again. I had no idea that was a significant side-effect of Percocet, but I'm taking note (just in case - you never know). Best wishes for your recovery.

[Sis]

Aloe juice will wake up your intestines... gently.

[Brenda]

Oh yea! So glad you're home. Been thinking of you often and hoping for the best.
Brenda

[Kalyn]

I say milk it as long as you can. So glad to hear it was a success and that so many people are keeping you well fed!

[NurseJen]

Personally, I'm wondering how many of your friends have the poor taste to offer up as many chicken breast, breast of duck, and milk dishes as possible... Humor (especially the sick kind) will get you through any crisis.

[Melissa]

TAMMY!!!! *Big squeeze* I am SO SO glad to hear from you. You know I've been thinking of you like mad. At least I wish you could feel it from miles away.

This has got to be a strange and jarring time for you. Please keep yourself as well as you can. I would love to hear about food when you feel like posting, but will take what I can get. And yes, milk it for all it's worth. There's no doubt you have the right. Kudos to hub... for being what we all always knew him to be. A big nod to him.

Sending you all the well wishes in the world.

[Helen]

Milk it for as long as possible! Glad to hear surgery went well and you have an appetite :)

[Sobaka]

Welcome back! Glad to see you so soon, and to hear that everything went well.

Yeah, constipation is a side effect of both surgery and the pain pills. Something the doctors don't tell you.

On the other side of the spectrum, due to your surgery site you were probably spared the pre-surgery liquid diet and Fleet follow-up. After that experience, a person is grateful for a little constipation.

Take it easy, don't push yourself, and definitely enjoy all the reading and eating, and draw it out as long as possible. You deserve it!

Take care.

[Brian]

Milk. It.

[Fish Sauce Hater]

Hurry back on your feet. Mrs. Fish Sauce Hater is going to be pregnant for another three and a half months, so there's still plenty of time to see her in her "natural" state.

[Kim]

Congratulations on making it through the first stage!

[Lesli]

I'm so glad to see that word "success." So very very glad. Rest up and milk all the attention!

[Tammy]

Thanks, guys. I really appreciate your comments and well wishes!